herodias-第5章

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bells　for　the　necks　of　camels；　and　as　they　descended　deeper　into　the

rocky　foundation；　it　became　evident　that　the　whole　mass　was　a

veritable　honeycomb　of　cells；　and　that　below　those　already　seen　were

many　others。



Vitellius；　Phineas；　his　interpreter；　and　Sisenna；　chief　of　the

publicans；　walked　among　these　gloomy　cells；　attended　by　three　eunuchs

bearing　torches。



In　the　deep　shadows　hideous　instruments；　invented　by　barbarians；　could

be　seen：　tomahawks　studded　with　nails；　poisoned　javelins；　pincers

resembling　the　jaws　of　crocodiles；　in　short；　the　tetrarch　possessed　in

his　castle　munitions　of　war　sufficient　for　forty　thousand　men。



He　had　accumulated　these　weapons　in　anticipation　of　an　alliance

against　him　among　his　enemies。　But　he　bethought　him　that　the　proconsul

might　believe；　or　assert；　that　he　had　collected　this　armoury　in　order

to　attack　the　Romans；　so　he　hastened　to　offer　explanations　of　all　that

Vitellius　had　observed。



Some　of　these　things　did　not　belong　to　him　at　all；　he　said：　many　of

them　were　necessary　to　defend　the　place　against　brigands　and

marauders；　especially　the　Arabs。　Many　of　the　objects　in　the　vault　had

been　the　property　of　his　father；　and　he　had　allowed　them　to　remain

untouched。　As　he　spoke；　he　managed　to　get　in　advance　of　the　proconsul

and　preceded　him　along　the　corridors　with　rapid　steps。　Presently　he

halted　and　stood　close　against　the　wall　as　the　party　came　up；　he　spoke

quickly；　standing　with　his　hands　on　his　hips；　so　that　his　voluminous

mantle　covered　a　wide　space　of　the　wall　behind　him。　But　just　above　his

head　the　top　of　a　door　was　visible。　Vitellius　remarked　it　instantly；

and　demanded　to　know　what　it　concealed。



The　tetrarch　explained　that　the　door　was　fastened；　and　that　none　could

open　it　save　the　Babylonian；　Jacim。



〃Summon　him；　then！〃　was　the　command。



A　slave　was　sent　to　find　Jacim；　while　the　group　awaited　his　coming。



The　father　of　Jacim　had　come　from　the　banks　of　the　Euphrates　to　offer

his　services；　as　well　as　those　of　five　hundred　horsemen；　in　the

defence　of　the　eastern　frontier。　After　the　division　of　the　kingdom；

Jacim　had　lived　for　a　time　with　Philip；　and　was　now　in　the　service　of

Antipas。



Presently　he　appeared　among　the　vaults；　carrying　an　archer's　bow　on

his　shoulder　and　a　whip　in　his　hand。　Cords　of　many　colours　were　lashed

tightly　about　his　knotted　legs；　his　massive　arms　were　thrust　through　a

sleeveless　tunic；　and　a　fur　cap　shaded　his　face。　His　chin　was　covered

with　a　heavy；　curling　beard。



He　appeared　not　to　comprehend　what　the　interpreter　said　to　him　at

first。　But　Vitellius　threw　a　meaning　glance　at　Antipas；　who　quickly

made　the　Babylonian　understand　the　command　of　the　proconsul。　Jacim

immediately　laid　both　his　hands　against　the　door；　giving　it　a　powerful

shove；　whereupon　it　quietly　slid　out　of　sight　into　the　wall。



A　wave　of　hot　air　surged　from　the　depths　of　the　cavern。　A　winding　path

descended　and　turned　abruptly。　The　group　followed　it；　and　soon　arrived

at　the　threshold　of　a　kind　of　grotto；　somewhat　larger　than　the　other

subterranean　cells。



An　arched　window　at　the　back　of　this　chamber　gave　directly　upon　a

precipice；　which　formed　a　defence　for　one　side　of　the　castle。　A

honeysuckle　vine；　cramped　by　the　low…studded　ceiling；　blossomed

bravely。　The　sound　of　a　running　stream　could　be　heard　distinctly。　In

this　place　was　a　great　number　of　beautiful　white　horses；　perhaps　a

hundred。　They　were　eating　barley　from　a　plank　placed　on　a　level　with

their　mouths。　Their　manes　had　been　coloured　a　deep　blue；　their　hoofs

were　wrapped　in　coverings　of　woven　grass；　and　the　hair　between　their

ears　was　puffed　out　like　a　peruke。　As　they　stood　quietly　eating；　they

switched　their　tails　gently　to　and　fro。　The　proconsul　regarded　them　in

silent　admiration。



They　were　indeed　wonderful　animals；　supple　as　serpents；　light　as

birds。　They　were　trained　to　gallop　rapidly；　following　the　arrow　of　the

rider；　and　dash　into　the　midst　of　a　group　of　the　enemy；　overturning

men　and　biting　them　savagely　as　they　fell。　They　were　sure…footed　among

rocky　passes；　and　would　jump　fearlessly　over　yawning　chasms；　and；

while　ready　to　gallop　across　the　plains　a　whole　day　without　tiring；

they　would　stop　instantly　at　the　command　of　the　rider。



As　soon　as　Jacim　entered　their　quarters；　they　trotted　up　to　him；　as

sheep　crowd　around　the　shepherd；　and；　thrusting　forward　their　sleek

necks；　they　looked　at　him　with　a　gaze　like　that　of　inquiring　children。

From　force　of　habit；　he　emitted　a　raucous　cry；　which　excited　them；

they　pranced　about；　impatient　at　their　confinement　and　longing　to　run。



Antipas；　fearing　that　if　Vitellius　knew　of　the　existence　of　these

creatures；　he　would　take　them　away；　had　shut　them　up　in　this　place；

made　especially　to　accommodate　animals　in　case　of　siege。



〃This　close　confinement　cannot　be　good　for　them；〃　said　Vitellius；　〃and

there　is　a　risk　of　losing　them　by　keeping　them　here。　Make　an　inventory

of　their　number；　Sisenna。〃



The　publican　drew　a　writing…tablet　from　the　folds　of　his　robe；　counted

the　horses；　and　recorded　the　number　carefully。



It　was　the　habit　of　the　agents　of　the　fiscal　companies　to　corrupt　the

governors　in　order　to　pillage　the　provinces。　Sisenna　was　among　the

most　flourishing　of　these　agents；　and　was　seen　everywhere　with　his

claw…like　fingers　and　his　eyelids　continually　blinking。



After　a　time　the　party　returned　to　the　court。　Heavy；　round　bronze

lids；　sunk　in　the　stones　of　the　pavement；　covered　the　cisterns　of　the

palace。　Vitellius　noticed　that　one　of　these　was　larger　than　the

others；　and　that　when　struck　by　his　foot　it　had　not　their　sonority。　He

struck　them　all；　one　after　another；　then　stamped　upon　the　ground　and

shouted：



〃I　have　found　it！　I　have　found　the　buried　treasure　of　Herod！〃



Searching　for　buried　treasure　was　a　veritable　mania　among　the　Romans。



The　tetrarch　swore　that　no　treasure　was　hidden　in　that　spot。



〃What　is　concealed　there；　then？〃　the　proconsul　demanded。



〃Nothingthat　is；　only　a　mana　prisoner。〃



〃Show　him　to　me！〃



The　tetrarch　hesitated　to　obey；　fearing　that　the　Jews　would　discover

his　secret。　His　reluctance　to　lift　the　cover　made　Vitellius　impatient。



〃Break　it　in！〃　he　cried　to　his　lictors。　Mannaeus　heard　the　command；

and；　seeing　a　lictor　step　forward　armed　with　a　hatchet；　he　feared　that

the　man　intended　to　behead　Iaokanann。　He　stayed　the　hand　of　the　lictor

after　the　first　blow；　and　then　slipped　between　the　heavy　lid　and　the

pavement　a　kind　of　hook。　He　braced　his　long；　lean　arms；　raised　the

cover　slowly；　and　in　a　moment　it　lay　flat　upon　the　stones。　The

bystanders　admired　the　strength　of　the　old　man。



Under　the　bronze　lid　was　a　wooden　trap…door　of　the　same　size。　At　a

blow　of　the　fist　it　folded　back；　allowing　a　wide　hole　to　be　seen；　the

mouth　of　an　immense　pit；　with　a　flight　of　winding　steps　leading　down

into　the　darkness。　Those　that　bent　over　to　peer　into　the　cavern　beheld

a　vague　and　terrifying　shape　in　its　depths。



This　proved　to　be　a　human　being；　lying　on　the　ground。　His　long　locks

hung　over　a　camel's…hair　robe　that　covered　his　shoulders。　Slowly　he

rose　to　his　feet。　His　head　touched　a　grating　embedded　in　the　wall；　and

as　he　moved　about　he　disappeared；　from　time　to　time；　in　the　shadows　of

his　dungeon。



The　rich　tiaras　of　the　Romans　sparkled　brilliantly　in　the　sunlight；

and　their　glittering　sword…hilts　threw　out　glancing　golden　rays。　The

doves；　flying　from　their　cotes；　circled　above　the　heads　of　the

multitude。　It　was　the　hour　when　Mannaeus　was　accustomed　to　feed　them。

But　now　he　crouched　beside　the　tetrarch；　who　stood　near　Vitellius。　The

Galileans；　the　priests；　and　the　soldiers　formed　a　group　behind　them；

all　were　silent；　waiting　with　painful　anticipation　for　what　might

happen。



A　deep　groan；　hollow　and　startling；　rose　from　the　pit。



Herodias　heard　it　from　the　farther　end　of　the　palace。　Drawn　by　an

irresistible　though　terrible　fascination；　sh